Today, it was my friend's birthday, so I baked him a cake complete with his name written on it in homemade frosting. After I gave it to him, his mother berated me for it, saying I should have checked with her first before making a cake for her son. He's 28. FML

Even then, the guy is just a friend. Some men don't want to hurt their mom's feelings. For instance, I asked when my boyfriend wanted to celebrated his birthday with his mom, brother, nephews and I and then him and I. He actually chose to be with me on his birthday, in which I made him a cake. A couple days later, we celebrated with his family. He's very close to his mom so I was blown away that be chose to be with only me on his birthday. His response was, "I didn't want to hurt my mom's feelings so she thinks we just took it easy tonight." I'm lucky; he knows how to balance his closeness to his mom, without hurting her feelings, all whole not putting me off to the side.

Probably, but I like "undone" better. It's poetic, and it implies that the thought of losing her son's attention throws her to the ground in ceaseless pain and terror, her very being's profound loneliness, tightly wrapped in layers of insecure attachment, exposed to the world, like an infected wound. To face her weaknesses, her hidden traumas and insecurities, her true self, is agonizing. It's an uncharted territory, with harsh terrain and unforgiving winds. And she must embark on it. Alone.

Never been to one, but I imagine it would be a fun experience, if taken with a grain of salt and a healthy dose of irony :)
Let them have their spotlight where it is welcome, it's the healthiest way to get natural attention needs met.

Even so there's no harm in having two cakes? In my experience they don't go to waste!! Sounds to me like the mother is just stupidly precious about her son. I have a pact with my hubby that he promises to tell me when I'm being an overbearing mother hen haha!